When it comes to writing content, a significant number of businesses are relying on artificial intelligence (AI).
This content writing trend was unveiled by a new large-scale study conducted by Semrush, providers of content, SEO, PPC and social media solutions.
Small Business Use of AI Writing Tools
Semrush’s ‘State of Content Ops & Outsourcing Report 2021’ explored how businesses of various industries and sizes manage their content operations, including content writing. The study involved Semrush conducting more than 20 comprehensive video interviews with reputable marketers.
One of the most surprising findings unveiled by the research is that 12% of respondents admit to using AI writing technology to create content.
Businesses Look for Quality When Outsourcing Content
44% of the businesses that outsource their content requirements to content writers say their choice of writer is dependent on the quality of service they provide. Most of the respondents (61%) define quality as ‘writers have to cover a topic in-depth, in the most comprehensive way possible.”
The report reveals some important insight regarding the creation of content that small businesses can take away. For example, with 12% of businesses using AI for content creation, this type of technology should not be dismissed as a means of taking care of content tasks.
It also shows the importance of outsourcing tasks like content writing, not only to ensure the quality content is produced, but also to free up a small business’s time to concentrate on other areas of the business.
As Agata Krzysztofik, Vice President of Piktochart, commented for the Semrush report: “We had an ambitious plan to create all of our content in-house. Why? Because internally, we know our product best. Good storytelling is also part of our DNA. Unfortunately, reality hit us. It’s difficult to write that much content if you have a small marketing team.”
Outsourcing Content Challenges
That said, finding appropriate content writers is not without its challenges. The respondents were asked about what they found difficult in finding writers. 49% of businesses said their issues were centered on finding writers with hands-on experience and knowledge of the subject. 41% reported their primary challenge as the content quality not being high enough.
The report also shows that outsourcing content commitments is not exceptionally costly, with most business spending less than $1k a month on content writing.
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